Award Guidelines:
Graduate Student Service Award

Purpose

Carnegie Mellon University’s Graduate Student Service Award is given annually to encourage and recognize a graduate student who has advanced the interests of CMU graduate students, improved the quality of life for graduate students on campus and/or contributed to the larger academic community. (NOTE: Current GSA Executive Committee members are ineligible for nomination.)Examples of service commitment can include but are not limited to:

evidence of leadership on university, department or graduate student committees

leadership in student organizations or activities supporting current student interests on campus or in the community

support of current student interests on campus or in the community

development and/or activity with outreach service programs

service with local or national organizations representing Carnegie Mellon graduate students

service with local or national organizations advancing graduate student interests

Eligibility

All current graduate students at the university who have demonstrated outstanding service in their department, college or the broader academic community are eligible to be nominated for the Graduate Student Service Award. Students who have been nominated in the past or received honorable mentions can be nominated again. However, previous winners of the award are ineligible for nomination.

The Graduate Student Service Award Committee

The Graduate Student Service Award selection committee consists of:

faculty

staff

graduate students (the current GSA President and one past recipient of the Graduate Student Service Award, if available)

undergraduate students

the chairperson of the committee (the assistant vice provost for graduate education, a non-voting member).

The Graduate Student Service Award selection committee adopts its own rules of procedure.

Nomination

Nomination packages may be submitted by any member of the CMU community and should describe the qualities and activities of the nominee that make him or her an excellent candidate for the award.

Nomination packages must include:

a nomination letter addressed to the Graduate Student Service Award Committee summarizing the individual’s accomplishments and impact in the community, not to exceed three pages.

additional letters of recommendation from faculty, staff, current and former students, or other colleagues who have substantive knowledge of the nominee’s service activities. Up to five letters will be accepted, in either hard copy or e-mail. A supporting letter compiling comments from various sources (such as 5-10 faculty or students in a department) will also be accepted and counted as a single letter of recommendation.

additional supporting materials which should represent the quality of the nominee’s service accomplishments and information about the direct service. This might include executive summaries, program/service information of activities initiated by the nominee, promotional materials, brochures, and/or other materials which represent th services identified in the nomination or supporting letters.

It is recommended that the nominator discuss the nomination with the student so they can get a robust picture of all the areas the student engages in service and the motivation behind their activites. This information can greatly enhance a nomination letter. If the student has a list of service activities, this can be submitted as part of the additional supporting materials.

A complete nomination packet must be submitted on or before Friday, February 6, 2015. It can be mailed to Suzie Laurich-McIntyre, assistant vice provost for graduate education and chair of the selection committee. It can be emailed to grad-ed@cmu.edu or delivered to 533 Warner Hall by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 6, 2015. Questions can be directed to Suzie Laurich-McIntyre.

The Graduate Student Teaching and Service Awards will be given out on the afternoon of Thursday, April 9, 2015 during Innovation with Impact: Celebration of Graduate Students, as part of Graduate Student Appreciation Week, April 6-10, 2015. The award recipients will receive an engraved tray and monetary award, and have their names added to the plaque in the Cohon University Center. The awardees will also be recognized at the Celebration of Education event in the spring.